SUPPLY OF COAL BY STATE-OWNED CIL TO POWER SECTOR RISES 23% IN APRIL-OCTOBER

NEW DELHI: The dispatch of coal to the power sector by state-owned CIL rose 22.7% to 291.72 million tonne (MT) in the first seven months of the ongoing fiscal year.

Coal India Ltd (CIL) had dispatched 237.75 MT of coal to the power sector in April-October period of 2020-21, according to monthly summary for the Cabinet for October.

The supply of coal to the power sector by CIL during the last month also increased 21.7% to 47.67 MT, over 39.17 MT in the year-ago period, it said.

The fuel supply by Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) to the sector in the seven months increased 66% to 30.67 MT as against 18.47 MT in the year-ago period.

The coal supply by SCCL to the power sector during last month increased 41.7% to 4.71 MT from 3.32 MT in the corresponding month of the previous fiscal year.

Coal India accounts for over 80% of the domestic coal output. The company, which is eyeing one billion tonne of fuel output by 2023-24, will pump over ₹1.22 lakh crore in projects related to coal evacuation, exploration and clean coal technologies by 2023-24.

Out of this proposed spend, CIL has planned to invest ₹32,696 crore on coal evacuation, ₹25,117 crore on mine infrastructure and ₹29,461 crore on project development by 2023-24.

The company will also invest ₹32,199 crore on diversification and clean coal technologies, ₹1,495 crore on social infrastructure and ₹1,893 crore on exploration works. The investment of ₹1.22 lakh crore will be utilised to fund a total of 500 projects.

The depleted coal stocks at power plants have been fuelling concerns about a possible electricity shortage, as coal-powered projects totalling 202.22 gigawatt (GW) account for more than half of India’s power generation capacity.